Irian Jaya's Lake Sentani, another name for beauty<\/p>\n
Text by Hartoyo Pratiknyo, photos by Arief Hidayat<\/p>\n
SENTANI, Irian Jaya (JP): It takes more than seven hours of
\nflying from Jakarta, a few more hours in a bus or chartered car,
\nand then a canoe trip across a lake, to reach the heart of this
\nancient land. The reward, however, is well worth the effort.<\/p>\n
In the early hours of the morning, as the pilot makes his
\nfinal approach, the air traveler is greeted by the glistening
\nwater of Lake Sentani, 200 meters above sea level. It is called
\nBu Yakhala (Clear Water) by the indigenous inhabitants of the
\narea. Green islands, big and small, are scattered across its
\nsurface.<\/p>\n
From the road the green hills and the blue expanse of water
\nbroken by clusters of stilted houses makes for a strong first
\nimpression. Half way from the airport on the lake's northern
\nbanks to Jayapura, Irian Jaya's provincial capital to the
\nnortheast, the road follows the shore of the lake. The rolling
\nhills rise to the left while the water stretches out peacefully
\nto the right. In the distance on the right, Robinsolo -- the
\nCycloop Mountain Range -- rises like guardian protecting the
\nlandscape.<\/p>\n
About 17 kilometers long from east to west and 45 meters deep,
\nLake Sentani is one of the most scenic spots in the province. The
\nSentani District, with a population of 37,000, including new
\nsettlers, embraces 11 villages and two subdistricts. It is
\ndivided into three cultural zones: the Ralibu on the eastern side
\nof the lake, the Noloby in the center and the Waibu to the west.
\nEach is distinguished mainly by the dialect they speak.<\/p>\n
Remote and exotic as it may appear to people accustomed to
\nliving in crowded urban environments like Jakarta, Sentani is not
\nreally the pristine jungle realm that may exist in the
\nimagination of many. In fact, it was one of the first regions of
\nIrian Jaya to have contact with the world outside, and nowhere
\nhas contact with other civilizations been as intense and as
\nprolonged. For this reason, the cultural makeup of the people of
\nSentani presents a blend of influences, although the indigenous
\nancestral element dominates.<\/p>\n
Some anthropologists believe that the people of Sentani have
\nmaintained contact with other cultures since at least 300 years
\nago, when migrants from Micronesia moved towards Sepik in what is
\nnow Papua New Guinea. It was presumably during this period that
\nthe Micronesian influence first made inroads into the area, as is
\nattested by the stone statues that have been found, and the
\ntraditional building style and dowry tradition.<\/p>\n
Previous to this development, the Melanesian influence had
\nalready developed, counting among its features the stone mortar,
\nthe quadrilateral axe, head-hunting and other religious customs.
\nThe next stage saw the introduction of the socketed bronze axe,
\nwhich is a feature of the Dongson tradition of Indochina. The
\ntradition of raising their houses on stilts over the water is an
\ninheritance designed to ensure protection against foraying wild
\nanimals.<\/p>\n
According to their traditions, the world consists of two
\nparts. The first is the world of reality, which is called wali
\nyo, or \"life place\". The second is that of the supernatural,
\nwhere the ancestral spirits and the spirits of land, sea and air
\nreside. This world is known as heles yokunuwai yo, meaning the
\n\"everlasting and happy place\".<\/p>\n
The advent of Christianity and the introduction with other new
\ncultural elements, however, has caused a new lifestyle to emerge.
\nToday, the process of change is accelerated by the growing influx
\nof newcomers from other parts of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
At present, one of the most visible remaining expressions of
\nthe traditional Sentani culture and lifestyle can be found in the
\ngraceful, richly carved canoes which ply the waters from morning
\nto night. As things develop, however, it isn't at all difficult
\nto visualize motorboats replacing these canoes before very long,
\nshattering the tranquility of the lake with the roar of their
\nengines.<\/p>",
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